Refrigerating apparatus



Nov. 22, 1955 J. w. JACOBS REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed June 13. 1952ENTOR. W Jacobs I 9 my James ment at sub-freezing temperatures.

United States Patent Office 2,724,241 Patented Nov. 22, 1955REFRIGERATING APPARATUS James W. Jacobs, Dayton, Ohio, assignor toGeneral Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of DelawareApplication June 13, 1952, Serial No. 293,369.

.4Claims. (c1. 62-103) .This invention relates to refrigeration andparticularly to food freezing or frozen food storage refrigerators.

In a low temperature refrigerator cabinet such as food freezers orfrozen food storage cabinets, frost or ice not only accumulatesaontheinterior of the food compartment but also accumulates on the coldouter wall surfaces thereof and on an evaporator about the compartmentemployed to maintain the interior of the compart- The frost or ice maybe formed on the interior of the compartment by condensing moisture fromair entering the same when the compartment access door is open. Suchfrost or ice also forms on the outer wall surfaces of the compartmentand on the evaporator about the same by the low temperature of theevaporator condensing moisture out of air infiltrating outer walls ofthe-cabinet and entering the space or chamber containing insulatingmaterial which surrounds the compartment. While it has been common notto recommend that the temperature of the evaporator of suchrefrigerators be increased above freezing, for fear of thawing anddamaging frozen foods contained in the storage compartment thereof, suchtemperature increase of the evaporator may occasionally be desired orcaused unavoidably in which case ice or frost within the low temperaturecompartment on outer wall surfaces thereof and on the evaporatorthereabout will thaw and melt. Such increase in temperature of theevaporator may occur accidentally by power line failure during summerstorms or the. like. This presents the problem of disposing of the waterresulting from defrosting of the ice or frost from exterior surfaces ofthe food storage compartment as well as from interior surfaces thereof.The defrost water from melting frost or ice within the space or chamberabout the food compartment containing insulating material must beremoved to the exterior of the cabinet in order to prevent this waterfrom corroding and rusting walls of the cabinet. I therefore contemplatethe provision of means in such low temperature refrigerators forconveying thedefrost water both from the interior of the food storagecompartment and from the insulating spaces or chambers about the same. n

An object of my invention is to provide an improved food freezing andfrozen food storage refrigerator which will overcome difficultiesencountered in the construction of prior refrigerator cabinets of thistype.

Another object of my invention is to provide a double drain device in afreezing or frozen food storage refrigerator with a common outletwhereby a single receptacle may be employed for receiving defrost waterflowing from both the interior of the food storage compartment of therefrigerator and from the insulating chamber or chamthe cabinet at thefront thereof concealed by lthe food compartment access opening door andreadily accessible for removal from the cabinet upon opening the door topermit emptying of its contents.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being bad to the accompanyingdrawings wherein a preferred form of the invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of a frozen food storage refrigerator cabinethaving my invention embodied therein and showing the food compartmentdoor in open position; and,

Figure 2 is a broken fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view of therefrigerator cabinet disclosed in Figure 1 and is taken on the line 22thereof.

Referring to the drawings, for illustrating the invention, I have shownin Figure 1 thereof a refrigerating apparatus including a verticallyelongated front access opening rectilinear shaped refrigerator cabinetof the type adapted to freeze foods and store frozen food products inthe refrigerated storage compartment thereof. The refrigerator cabinetis generally represented by the reference character 10 and comprisesouter metal walls or panels 11, a metal liner 12 therein spaced from thecabinet outer walls and having insulating material (see Figure 2)disposed in the space or chambers between the cabinet outer Walls 11 andliner 12. This insulating material may be in bag or package form and maycomprise glass or mineral Wool 14 hermetically sealed within flexiblecasings of some suitable material. The sealed casings containing theinsulating material 14 can be made of polyethylene or polyvinylidenechloride which prevents breathing of air and consequently moisture intoand out of the insulation 14 disposed therein. Liner 12 forms the top,bottom and upright back and side walls of a food storage compartment 15within cabinet 10. Compartment 15 is provided at the front of thecabinet with an access opening normally closed by an insulated doorstructure 16. The food storage compartment liner 12 is supported alongits top and side front edges from the outer front wall of cabinet 10 atthe access opening thereof by any suitable or desirable moldings orinsulated breaker strips as is conventional in refrigerating systemassociated with cabinet 10 may be mounted in the machine compartment 17.This refrigerating system also includes an evaporator connected to therefrigerant translating device in any well-known or conventional manner.The evaporator in the present disclosure comprises a plurality ofconduit looped portions 21 contacting and extending along a plurality ofwalls of the food compartment 15. The refrigerant evaporator also hasother looped conduit portions 22 entering the compartment 15 and securedto horizontally'disposed sheet metal plates 23, mounted in thiscompartment, to

provide therewith a plurality of freezing food supporting shelves withinthe food compartment. The conduit portions 21 and 22 of the evaporatorof the refrigerating system are adapted to maintain the interior ofcompartment 15 at subfreezing temperatures for freezing foods placedtherein and to preserve frozen food products stored therein.

Although such a refrigerator cabinet as is herein disclosed is usuallywell sealed, it is diflicult, if not impossible, without involving greatexpense to prevent infiltration.

of air intothe spaces or chambers about the food compartment 15containing the insulating material 14. The sub-freezing temperature ofthe evaporator conduit portions 21 and 22 causes any moisture in airinfiltrating. the cabinettocondenseandfreezeinthe form of'frostor ice onthe evaporator and on outer surfaces of liner 12 forming wallsof'the'compartment 1-5. Also, air entering the compartment15 hasitsmoisture content deposited in the form of frost or ice on innersurfaces of the food compartment. Shouldthe evaporator, comprising therefrigerant evaporating conduits 21 and 22, be increased above 32 F.-forany reason such as by power line failure and. the like leading to themotor compressor-condenser unit of the refrigerating system, the frostor ice accumulated both on the inside of compartment 15 and on the outersurfaceof' walls. thereof will thaw or melt. I have provided means fordraining the water resulting from the melting frost or ice bothfromtheinterior of compartment 15'and from'outer surfaces'of walls thereofto the exterior of cabinet 10. This means includes a plurality ofelements which will now be described.

A trough-like insulating breaker strip 26, preferably formed of moldedplastic material such, for example, as polystyrene, is interposedbetween the outer front metal wall 11 of cabinet and the front edge ofthe bottom wall of liner 12 (see Figure 2). This trough-like breakerstrip 26 is provided with an opening 27. A pan 28, also preferablyformed of molded plastic polystyrene material, is positioned under liner12 in spaced relation to the bottom wall of compartment 15. This pan 28extends continuously from a point in front of compartment beneathbreaker strip 26' beyond upright back and side walls of the compartmentinto the space or chambers between theouter metal walls 11 of cabinet 10and the liner 12, containing the insulating material 14. Fan 28 isdisposed intermediate the insulating material 14 along the bottom ofcompartment 15 and the liner 12 forming the compartment. Both thetrough-like breaker strip 26 and pan 28 may, if desired, be slightlyinclined upwardly from the front portion toward the rear portion of therefrigerator cabinet 10. An opening 29 isprovided'in the front part ofpan 28'. It will be noted that the opening 27 in the'trough-likebreakerstrip 26 communicates with the space between pan 28 and the bottom wallof compartment 15. A molded plastic, preferably polystyrene, conduit 31has its upper end- 32 secured to pan 28, in any suitable ordesi'ra'blemanner, so as to be in communication with or connected to the opening29'provided therein. Conduit 31 has its other'or'lower end 33 projectedor extended through a hole in the metal outer'front" wall 11 of cabinet10; Means is provided to normally close the passageway extending throughconduit 31 so as to prevent air aswell as insects or the like frompassing upwardly therethrough into food compartment 15. This closuremeans comprises a valve seat 36 formed integral with the conduit 31 anda float valve 37 disposed within conduit 3'1' and adapted to rest on theseat 36. Float valve 37 may also be fabricated of molded plasticmaterial. The nonmetallic molded plastic trough-like breaker strip 26,pan 28 and' conduit 31 retards the transference of heat from the cabinetouter walls 11 adjacent to or into compartment 15. A covered receptacle39 is detachably mounted upon the outer front wall 11 of cabinet 10 at asubstantial distance. below the. access opening of compartment 15, andthe open lower end 33. of conduit 331 communicates with the interior ofthis receptacle. The detachable mounting of receptacle 39 upon cabinet10 may be of any conventional or Wellknown design. The receptacle 39 ispreferably tall and narrow and may, if desired, extend substantiallythroughout the width of the front of cabinet 10. The food compartmentaccess opening closing door 16' is projecteda substantial distance belowcompartmenflsand its projected portion is hollowed out as at 41"t0receive and cover or conceal the receptacle 39.

Thus, receptacle 39v is accessible for detachment and removal fromcabinet 10 only when door 16 is opened.

Upon power line failure or opening of the electric circuit leading tothe motor-compressor-condenser unit of the refrigerating systemassociated with cabinet 10, the evaporator of the refrigerating systemwill increase above 32 F. Thereupon frost or ice both within compartment15 and on the outer surface of'walls thereofwill thaw and melt. it beintentional or accidental, will flow out of compartment v15 at the frontof its bottom wall and be received in the trough-like breaker strip 26.Water will also flow down the outer'surfaces of walls of'compartment 15into pan 28. This water will be conveyed from breaker strip 26, throughthe opening 27 therein, and from pan 23 through the opening 29 thereinand caused to flow into the common outlet conduit 31. The water uponattaining a predetermined level in conduit 31, in the vicinity of thefloat valve; will cause the valve 37 to float and thereby be raised fromits seat 36 whereupon water may flow out of the open end 33 of, conduit31 into the water collecting receptacle 39. Water accumulated inreceptacle 39 may be inspected when door 16 is open, and if thereceptacle 39 is substantially filled, it may then be detached from therefrigerator cabinet and emptied. It will be understood that should afrozen food storage refrigerator of the type herein disclosed berecommended for intentional periodic defrosting then such defrostingmaybe augmented bysome conventional or well known heating means for rapidlyapplying'heat directly to the surfaces to be defrosted to'quickly meltthe accumulation of frost or ice so as to reducethe defrosting operationto:a minimumof time and thereby prevent unduly warming of food productsstored in the refrigerator.

From the foregoing it should be apparent that I have provided animproved refrigerating apparatus of the type wherein sub-freezingtemperatures are maintained. The defrost water draining deviceincorporated in the refrigerator disclosed prevents water being trappedwithin walls of the cabinet and conveys the water to the exteriorthereof. Accidental defrosting of the food compartment and theevaporator associated therewith may occur without causing deteriorationof or damage to walls of the cabinet. By fabricating the variouselements of the water draining device from molded plastic material, suchelements do not appreciably add to manufacturing costs of therefrigerator.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosedconstitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that otherformsmightbe adopted as may come within the scope of-the claims whichfollow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A refrigerator comprising in combination, a cabi-- net of rectilinearshape having metal outer walls and a metal linerspaced therefrom andforming the top, bottom and upright back and side walls of a foodstorage compartment in said cabinet, insulating material in the spacebetween said cabinet outer walls and said liner, said compartment havingan access opening in the front of said cabinet, a door normally closingsaid compartment access opening, a closed refrigerating systemassociated with said cabinet, said system including an evaporatorcontacting and extending along a plurality of walls of said foodcompartment for cooling the interior thereof, a nonmetallic panintermediate the insulating material and saidlliner at thebottom of saidcompartment, said pan being spaced from the bottom wall of saidcompartment and extending continuously from a point in front of saidcompartment beyond its upright back and side walls into the spacebetween said liner and said cabinet outer walls, aninsulating breakerstrip interposedbetween the front metal wall of said cabinet and thebottom wall of said compartment, said breaker strip having an openingtherein communicating 'with the space between said pan and'saidcompartment bottom wall, said pan having The water resulting from thisdefrosting, whether one; e

an opening therein, a nonmetallic conduit having one end thereofcommunicating with the opening in said pan and having its other endextended through the outer front wall of said cabinet, a float valve insaid conduit normally closing the same, a receptacle detachably mountedupon said cabinet front wall, said other end of said conduitcommunicating with the interior of said receptacle, and said foodstorage compartment door being projected downwardly from saidcompartment access opening over said receptacle for normally concealingthe same.

2. A refrigerator comprising in combination, a cabinet of rectilinearshape having metal outer walls and a metal liner spaced therefrom andforming the top, bottom, and upright back and side walls of a foodstorage compartment in said cabinet, insulating material in the spacebetween said cabinet outer walls and said liner, a closed refrigeratingsystem associated with said cabinet and including an evaporatorcontacting and extending along a plurality of walls of said compartmentfor maintaining sub-freezing temperatures therein, a molded plastic panintermediate the insulating material and said liner at the bottom ofsaid compartment, an insulating breaker strip interposed between thefront metal wall of said cabinet and the botom wall of said compartment,said pan being spaced from the bottom wall of said compartment andextending continuously from a point beneath said breaker strip beyondthe upright back and side walls of said compartment into the spacebetween said liner and said cabinet outer walls, said breaker striphaving an opening therein communicating with the space between said panand said compartment bottom wall, said pan having an opening therein, anonmetallic conduit having one end thereof communicating with theopening in said pan and having its other end extended through the outerfront wall of said cabinet, means within said conduit normally closingthe same, a receptacle detachably mounted upon said outer front wall ofsaid cabinet, and said other end of said conduit communicating with theinterior of said receptacle.

3. A refrigerator comprising in combination, a cabinet of rectilinearshape having metal outer walls and a metal liner spaced therefrom andforming the top, bottom and upright back and side walls of a foodstorage compartment in said cabinet, insulating material in the spacebetween said cabinet outer walls and said liner, said compartment havingan access opening in the front of said cabinet, a door normally closingsaid compartment access opening, a closed refrigerating systemassociated with said cabinet, said system including an evaporator havingportions thereof extending along a plurality of said compartment wallsfor maintaining sub-freezing temperatures therein, said evaporator alsohaving other portions entering said food compartment and providingfreezing food supporting shelves therein, a nonmetallic pan intermediatethe insulating material and said liner at the bottom of saidcompartment, an insulating breaker strip interposed between the frontmetal wall of said cabinet and the bottom wall of said compartment, saidpan being spaced from the bottom wall of said compartment and extendingcontinuously from a point beneath said breaker strip beyond the uprightback and side walls of said compartment into the space between saidliner and said cabinet outer walls, said breaker strip having an openingtherein communicating with the space between said pan and saidcompartment bottom wall, said pan having an opening therein, a moldedplastic conduit having one end thereof communicating with the opening insaid pan and having its other end extended through the outer front wallof said cabinet below said food compartment, a float valve within saidconduit normally closing the same, a receptacle detachably mounted uponsaid outer front wall of said cabinet, said other end of said conduitcommunicating with the interior of said receptacle, said food storagecompartment door projecting downwardly from said compartment accessopening and being hollowed out to receive and conceal said receptacle,and said receptacle being accessible only when said door is opened fordetachment from said cabinet front wall.

4. A refrigerator cabinet having a plurality of stationary outer wallsand a liner spaced therefrom forming the top, bottom, back and sidewalls of a food storage compartment therein, insulating material in thespace between said cabinet outer walls and said liner, the frontstationary outer wall of said cabinet having an opening thereinproviding access to said food compartment, a door hingedly mounted uponsaid cabinet for horizontal swinging movement normally closing saidcompartment access opening, a closed refrigerating system associatedwith said cabinet and including an evaporator contacting and extendingalong outer surfaces of walls of said food compartment for cooling theinterior thereof, a pan disposed intermediate the insulating materialand the bottom wall of said liner, said pan being spaced from said linerbottom wall and extending continuously from a point at the front of saidcabinet beyond the back and side walls of said food compartment into thespace between said liner and outer walls of said cabinet, said panhaving an opening therein, a conduit having an inlet end communicatingwith the opening in said pan and having a discharge end extended throughthe stationary outer cabinet front wall, a receptacle associated withthe discharge end of said conduit, said receptacle being detachablymounted on the stationary outer front wall of said cabinet andprojecting forwardly thereof, said food compartment door having aportion thereof depending a substantial distance downwardly beyond saidcompartment access opening, said depending portion of said compartmentdoor being hollowed out to receive and fit over said receptacle forconcealing the same, and said receptacle being accessible for detachmentfrom said cabinet front wall only when said food compartment door isswung open.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,515,892 Philipp July 18, 1950 2,592,233 Atchison Apr. 8, 19522,594,073 Robbins Apr. 22, 1952 2,617,268 Ashby Nov. 11, 1952

